CTS-V... Looking
 

So I am expecting my first kid, pretty much anytime now. I am looking for something with 4 doors to easily accommodate a childs seat and such. I can't force myself to get a normal everyday grocery getter. I love having a powerful car. So I am looking at a first generation 04-07 CTS-v. I am hoping to find an 06/07 for the upgraded diff but its not a necessity. I know there are a few of you who have these years of cars. I love either of the LS blocks in it, and that tremec t-56 is pretty bullet resistant. I have a few questions. How many have higher mileage CTS-Vs? Most of the ones I am finding in these years are about 70,000. As far as the motor goes, I'm not really worried about that, the LS block is, without question, one of the best engines ever put into a car from the factory. The issues I am concerned with are differential, clutch, and motor mounts. Are there any immediate issues I should be concerned with?

I found one that seems to have a clean Carfax, but the color and wheels are not really to my liking at all. Though, it does have a supercharger on it. I'm kind of leery about that because of tuning and such.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...26190270&Log=0

That is alot of money for an 04.

The things that will need to be checked are the motor mounts, and rear diff bushing. You can buy both aftermarket ones for less then 200$ I've swapped my motor mounts out for solid mounts because i kept breaking even the upgraded ones but i put down more power then stock..

The Stock clutch is fine if they didn't drop the clutch all the time (its hard to do without the upgraded axles because you will just get wheel hop) I'm still on my stock clutch with a little over 80K miles on it. And im pushing over 500 at the wheels.

For me If you are set on the CTS-V only look at 2006 and up. The diff is a huge pain in the ass.

Have you looked at the G8 GT & GXP's. Both are fast 4 doors and have just as much support if not more then the first gen cts-v.

Want to buy an sts-v?

Yea but I can't seem to locate a G8 GXP for less than like $30k which is more than I want to spend now and thats If you can even find one. There werent many made. The G8 GT would be nice but I would prefer the LS3 in the GXP. The one selling point I love is that the CTS-V has the 6 speed. I love manual transmission cars so that also makes me not want to get the G8 GT since as far as I know they were only offered in an Automatic.

I'll take into account the Motor mounts and diff bushings if I do end up getting a CTS-v. I did the solid motor and trans mounts in the cobalt. What have you done to yours to get to 500whp? I was thinking an intake, CA legal headers, cam, head work, and I have tuning software so it would have a custom HPtune on it. I was thinking that would at least get me close to 500hp. If the tax returns next year are generous maybe a new lower end, supercharger, and a new diff/axel but that would be like a $10k budget for next year if I wanted to go that far with it.

4.4l Supercharged V8 right? But its an automatic only as I recall as well. I havent done as much research into an STS-v but the 2 big draws in the CTS-v for me were the LS motors and the manual trans. If the price is right on the STS-v I would think about it but the STS is also more money in general than the CTS-v. I can still tune the 4.4 northstar though so if I could find one in good shape for a decent price I would definitely think about scooping one up.

They don't make CA legal headers sadly. Stock the car puts down 340 wrhp.

If you are gonna put money in to the motor just get LS3 head's (only if you get an 06, 07) They will open up to more intakes, superchargers and what not in the long run. They make 2 diff upgrades (ford 9 and for 8.8, 4k to 3k in price) but all you really need it axles 400$. Also change out the flywheel the whole clutch flywheel combo is like 60 pounds.

Huge downside to the car is the lack of wheel options.

Really? That is lame, I guess I'm just gonna have to take of the stock Exhaust Manifolds with care and run long tubes then, oh darn. I was reading about the 8.8 upgrade. A family member of mine owns a junkyard in Idaho so maybe I can scam a few from him. I'll let you know if you are interested. As far as the clutch goes, I heard the Z06 clutch is a good upgrade but if you are getting 500whp on the stocker that is enough for me with a babyseat in the back... plus saving a few lbs of rotational mass savings in the drivetrain has a big effect on things.

I already deal with the wheels on the Cobalt SS. I like the looks of the stock wheels on the CTS-v just fine. I just will powder coat them or something in order to get the color to my liking.

The LS7 clutch is great but not at my power level and the level I want to get to.

I Wanna get the LS9 clutch conversion kit (damn gm hate to change the bolt pattern.)

You are making too much power for the LS7 clutch or not enough? I thought the LS7 clutch was good to like 700whp or somewhere in there. I could be totally wrong though.

What is your price range?

They are rated for 500 at the crank, they can take about 600 - 650 before you start to kill it.

The LS9 is rated at 650 at the crank and can take 750 - 800 before you start to kill it.

30k

I would like to keep it under $20k. I have to get rid of the Cobalt first though. It's going on craigslist soon. I have seen some pretty reasonable cars for like $16k-$19k.

Good luck selling anything on CL right now

Ugh I know, your totally right. I was trying to sell my truck there and on ebay with no luck. I'm just gonna hold onto the truck for now. But I can trade in the cobalt at a dealer if I find a CTS-v that is acceptable and not priced over the moon.

I just want the car to sound like this, but with an Eaton TVS on it.

also a fast 4 door, just sayin

just make sure you get a good tune

Yea but I already have my truck and to be honest, living in Temecula I see all the punk ass kids running around with their sideways metal mullisha hats on in trucks like that. Plus, I have all the tuning software necessary for most GM products with OBDII ports so I want to stick to that. If I was gonna get a ford diesel, it would be a 7.3 anyways. I hate the new ford diesels. We have one at work and its ALWAYS broken.

Mine is broken cause of me. I can break anything, just try me. Shit, i've broken my share of 7.3's

Yea but like I said, the one we have at work is always throwing codes and one night it literally just died, I was driving a mile away from the yard and it died. I would never buy a new ford diesel. Now the Dmax or cummins, hell yea. But only the manual trans in the dodge cuz the dodges we have at work all have broken transmissions.

I'm going to assume then it still has the dpf and cat then.

I'd stay away from that generation V. After working on my brothers 04 a couple dozen times I realized it has many flaws. It was super clunky to drive and the drivetrain just seemed super sloppy. We upgraded the shifter, diff mount/rear cradle bushings and it still drove like crap. Compared to my 06 GTO its a piece of crap. I love GM but that V needed more R&D IMO

That's why I'm looking at the 06/07. I'm not sure why you would think the drive train is clunky, its the z06 engine and trans. The rear end kinda sucks but that can be fixed. It has the ls2 in the 06/07 years.

Yea my car is back to stock now. Except for the exedy clutch and wheels/tires.

I meant your work diesel

The mention of a cat threw me off. I don't know the condition of it mechanically. Someone is paid to service the equipment and its not me. The way they maintain it, it seems like they just leave it stock even.though there are known problems in certain areas. That stupid exhaust filter is pretty much the least of the problems. It has gone through 3 oil coolers, an injector pump, a turbo, a trans cooler, and an AC compressor. Seriously its been one thing after another. They just got rid of the last f250 we had with a 7.3l in it. That think had 200,000 hideously rough miles on it. But hey how else does the border patrol go through the desert.

It's not that bad but GM Didn't commit on making it a performance sedan so they made the bushings soft and that is what causes all the problems.

The 06 - 07 are the only way to go.

Actually most of those are all in direct issue to the cat/dpf. The 08-10's werent design to have them and were added as a CA afterthought.

Thats what the after market is for. They have to make stuff for the vast majority of the people who will use the cars. If they made them for people like me who want to toss it around a track all day, the suspension would be uncomfortable, there would be no ac, there would be manual windows and mirrors, no radio, 1 seat, and solid engine mounts. They wouldnt sell many Cadillacs like that LOL

Just got home from a day at the dealer, followed by a family reunion.











IT has 75,000 miles on it and it was $18k

Congrats dude, sweet car.

Thanks, I'm excited. Can't wait to put the baby seat in the back lol

Baby seats fit nicely in the rear lol (not my kids)

It looks good. Make sure your order an axle kit quick before you break a rear end.

I will, thanks for the advice. Man this car drives nice. I should have bought one when I bought the Cobalt SS. Now I'm still trying to sell it. But I am enjoying driving that LS6 and that T-56.